- Two firefighting helicopters collided in midair near the Greek capital, killing two people; television video showed one of the helicopters explode and plunge to the ground after an apparent rotor collision.
- Four crew members were recovered after the collision in Psatha, west of Athens, on Sunday. Both crew members from one of the helicopters – a Greek and a Danish national – died, while the second crew – a British and a Greek national – were rescued alive; the Greek fire service said investigations had started.
- The teams were in Psatha battling wildfires that have destroyed more than a hundred homes and forced evacuations across Greece; firefighters were also battling a blaze around Porto Germeno, where flames reached a military firing range and activated unexploded ammunition. Nearly 500 firefighters had been deployed, with reinforcements from France and Romania.
- At Porto Germeno, gale-force winds had subsided but flames reached Veniza, with a major effort under way to protect the coastal town of Megara; more than 10,000 hectares (24,200 acres) had likely been destroyed, the Greek daily Protothema reported.
- On Kefalonia, a 44-year-old man was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of deliberately starting a fire in the Pastra area, the Greek ANA news agency reported.
Two firefighting helicopters collided in midair on Sunday while battling a wind-driven wildfire near Athens, resulting in the deaths of two crew members. The incident occurred in the Psatha area, where firefighters are engaged in a fierce battle against wildfires that have devastated over 10,000 hectares (24,200 acres) of land.12345678910
Television footage captured the moment one helicopter exploded and crashed to the ground in flames after an apparent rotor collision. The Greek fire service confirmed that both crew members from one helicopter—a Greek and a Danish national—died, while the other crew, consisting of a British and a Greek national, were rescued alive.
The fire service has initiated an investigation into the cause of the collision. As wildfires rage across Greece, firefighters are also tackling a blaze around Porto Germeno on the Gulf of Corinth, where flames have crossed a mountain and reached a military firing range, activating unexploded ammunition. Nearly 500 firefighters have been deployed, with reinforcements arriving from France and Romania.
Gale-force winds that fueled the Porto Germeno fire have subsided, but efforts are ongoing to prevent the fire from reaching the coastal town of Megara. This summer, parts of Europe have been ravaged by wildfires, exacerbated by climate change, following record-breaking heatwaves and minimal rainfall.
“Four crew members were recovered in Psatha: a Greek and a Danish national died, while a British and a Greek national were rescued alive. The wildfires have destroyed more than a hundred homes, with nearly 500 firefighters deployed and flames at Porto Germeno activating unexploded ammunition at a military firing range.”
